1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to spray cooling devices and more specifically it relates to a spray cooling system for efficiently thermally managing a single or multiple semiconductor chip package.
2. Description of the Related Art
Conventional spray cooling systems have been in use for years in various applications such as but not limited to semiconductor burn-in, computing, networking and power electronics where harsh environments limit the reliability of electronic components. In a typical spray cooling arrangement, multiple circuit boards are housed within a sealed enclosure isolated from the environment. The entire circuit boards are sprayed with an atomized spray of dielectric coolant thereby forming a thin liquid film on the circuit board surface which evaporates in high heat flux areas.
Examples of patented spray cooling systems include U.S. Pat. No. 6,108,201 to Tilton et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 6,104,610 to Tilton et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 6,016,969 to Tilton et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 5,933,700 to Tilton; U.S. Pat. No. 5,880,931 to Tilton et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 5,933,700 to Tilton; U.S. Pat. No. 5,860,602 to Tilton et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 5,713,327 to Tilton et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 5,314,529 to Tilton et al.; and U.S. Pat. No. 5,220,804 to Tilton et al.
However, in benign environments, such as within an office, it is often times unnecessary to isolate and thermally manage the entire circuit boards. There may be only one semiconductor chip, such as the microprocessor, or a small number of semiconductor chips on each circuit board that require active thermal management. Recent thermal management solutions incorporate hybrid air-cooling techniques (natural convection, heat sink, forced air) with advanced cooling techniques (e.g. heat pipes, thermosyphons, thermoelectric coolers, and cold plates).
The main problem with conventional combination air-cooling and advanced cooling techniques is that they sometimes cannot satisfy the high thermal management requirements of today's advanced electronics with increased power densities. A high efficiency thermal management system, such as spray cooling, is required to handle the high thermal requirements of modern electronics.
The main problem with conventional spray cooling systems is that they are designed for large-scale electronic systems. A further problem with conventional spray cooling systems is that they are not cost effective for electronics utilized within benign environments or with reduced thermal management requirements. Hence, a cost effective spray cooling system is required for effectively thermally managing smaller electronics applications.
While these devices may be suitable for the particular purpose to which they address, they are not as suitable for efficiently thermally managing a single or multiple semiconductor chip package. Conventional thermal management systems either cannot satisfy the thermal management requirements of smaller modern electronics applications or are not cost effective to implement.
In these respects, the spray cooling system according to the present invention substantially departs from the conventional concepts and designs of the prior art, and in so doing provides an apparatus primarily developed for the purpose of efficiently thermally managing a single or multiple semiconductor chip package whether under normal operation or testing.